Japanese Fashion

Mixture of both traditional and modern styles Most traditional fashion has evolved to “street fashion” Term “street fashion” is used to describe fashion where the wearer personally customizes the outfits by adopting a mixture of current and traditional trends Such clothes are usually home-made Street Fashion on display in various Tokyo suburbs such as Harajuku, Odaiba, Ginza, Shinjuku & Shibuya Main styles of “street fashion” are Gyaru, Gothic & Lolita, and Decora. Cosplay is also popular. These styles have roots in older styles that emerged in the 1970's. They offer a weekend escape from the strict conformity enforced by the wearing of school uniforms for Junior High and High School students, and a lifestyle for older teens and twenty-somethings that is outside of normal Japanese society.

Lolita Fashion subculture primarily influenced by Victorian children’s clothing Lolita has made this into a unique fashion by adding gothic and original design elements to the look. Often to emphasize the childlike look, teddy bears and dolls such as Super Dollfies may be carried.

Lolita fashion has evolved into several different sub styles such as Punk Lolita, Gothic Lolita, Sweet Lolita, etc., and has created a devoted subculture in Japan. The Lolita look consists primarily of a knee length skirt or dress, headdress, blouse, petticoat, knee length socks or stockings and rocking horse or high heel/platform shoes.

Gothic Lolita (GothLoli) Focuses more on Edwardian pieces and darker colours Big brooches, bonnets, and umbrellas are popular accessories A popular style now is "Alice in Wonderland", with skirts, tops, accessories, bags all with playing cards on them.

Punk Lolita (PunkLoli) Lot of plaid in the clothing Chains, pearls, big bows patterned with plaid, lace, and lots of wristbands are popular accessories Most popular garments are blouses and skirts, although dresses and jumper skirts are also worn

Common footwear includes boots, Mary Janes or oxfords with platforms Many of the Japanese punk Lolita fashion brands take influence from London's famous Camden Town Markets

Sweet Lolita (SweetLoli) Inspired by baby doll clothing Lots of pinks, whites and blues are used Bows, lace collars, and stuffed animals are common accessories Aprons are worn over dresses as to give the appearance as if someone had been baking

Hello Kitty is very popular with SweetLolis Makeup used in sweet Lolita is common throughout most Lolita styles A natural look is emphasized, to help maintain the childlike feel of Lolita. Light pastels and natural colours make up the Lolita makeup colour scheme. Outfits consist of pastels, gingham or other colorful prints, lace, bows, and ribbons to emphasize the cuteness in the design. Headdresses and bows are also a popular hair accessory. Bags and purses are often very cute with princess-like designs, and often in the form of strawberries, crowns, hearts, and stuffed animals.

Wa Lolita (WaLoli) Combines traditional Japanese clothing styles with the Lolita fashion Consists of kimono or hakama modified to fit with common Lolita garments The bottom half of the garment is altered to accommodate a petticoat, or a kimono-style blouse is used as a top to accompany a plain Lolita skirt

Kogal This subculture is characterized by young women, who display their disposable incomes through tastes in fashion, music and other forms of social activity Most Ko-gals are in their last years of high school, or the beginning years of college. The kogal “look” roughly approximates a sun- tanned California Valley Girl

If in school uniform, the look typically includes skirts pinned very high and loose socks (large baggy socks that go up to the knee)

Ganguro Ganguro subculture peaked in popularity in the year 2000 The Ganguro look consists of bleached hair, a deep or extremely pale tan, fake eyelashes, platform shoes and brightly coloured make-up and outfits Wear mini-skirts, platform boots and ample amounts of bracelets, rings and necklaces

Ganguro girls are usually accompanied by a small group and it is typical of a "Ganguro Gal" to show-off her cell phone covered with purikura, pictures from photo booths

Decora Also known as Decorer Means "to decorate" or "be decorated” Decora is a more wearer-interpereted fashion Almost always features multiple layers of clothing and massive amounts of accessories Ranges from extremely bright, neon colors and tons of cheap hair clips, bracelets, and multiple layers of differen patterned socks, tights, skirts, and shirts, to a more muted, demure and somewhat stylish layered look

Cosplay (costume play) Japanese subculture centered on dressing as characters from manga, anime and video games, and, less commonly, Japanese live action television shows, fantasy movies, Japanese pop music bands, novels etc. In Japan, "cosplay" as a hobby is usually an end unto itself Like-minded people gather to see others' costumes, show off their own elaborate handmade creations, take lots of pictures, and possibly participate in best costume contests

Cosplay can be seen at public events such as video game shows, as well as at dedicated cosplay parties at nightclubs or amusement parks It is not unusual for Japanese teenagers to gather with like- minded friends in places like Tokyo's Harajuku district to engage in cosplay Since 1998, Tokyo's Akihabara district has contained a large number of cosplay cafés, catering to devoted anime and cosplay fans. The waitresses at such cafés dress as game or anime characters, and maid (or meido) costumes are particularly popular

Cosplay convention

Gwen Stefani’s “Harajuku Girls” showcase Japanese fashion.

Not all Japanese fashion is this extreme. Elements of traditional Japanese fashion still remain popular.

Magazine showcasing bright new Yukata